Category: Current Status

I’m trying to recover from the school year, especially the last few weeks. I got extremely depressed and upset over how much material I was able to cover with my students. I was one complete unit short with one group.

Their grades were not as bad as I expected. I’m trying not to beat myself up too badly since it really wasn’t my fault, I’ve only had them since January 23.

So I’ve spent the last two days in the bathroom, but finally got that problem stabilized, severe diarreah which is scary when you are diabetic because you don’t know how much food is getting processed and how much is just getting dumped, plus the dehydration possibilities.

I’m also working on my two summer projects. I met with my partner on the district final (one didn’t show and gave one of his song and dances), and we spent an hour or so planning our approach. I’m going in one day next week and get some work started so we can make more progress when we can met next.

I also went through summer school training and I’m working on getting my lessons in the computer. A lot of the material is already in electronic format, but there is one book that I’m having to scan in lessons.

I am not sure if we’ll have copies in our classroom when we get back — long story, so I’m also going to put together my first week’s lesson on hardcopy so I can make copies.

We have 22 teaching days.

I’m looking forward to all of that.

Just got my lab results from my endo’s visit. Kidney functioning numbers are better. A1C is at 6.6 which isn’t bad, but not my personal best.

I’m in Shawnee Oklahoma for a dog agility trial. Arrived right at 3:00 pm.

The hotel is interesting. It just changed hands and is being remodeled. I don’t think they have remodeled mine yet, but it not in bad shape, so maybe they have.

Unfortunately, I have a smoking room upstairs, though they did haul up my cooler for me and got a microwave into the room. Actually the service has been excellent.

The desk clerk is very sweet, and I think she is the owner. I think they are having an A/C problem in the other rooms.

Anyway, I think I brought almost everything I need. I did forget to pack a box of syringes. Weird, I’ve been on Symlin for a year and I didn’t think about that. I should keep a box in the car.

I took my insulin and Symlin to the pharmacy across the street and got my same needles for about $6.00 which isn’t bad at all. Didn’t give me a minutes problem.

I also forgot to bring a third pair of black pants, but I think I can survive without them.

Trial site looks pretty good. My instructor does not like the fact that they aren’t running the rings concurrently, but I don’t care as long as they keep things moving. It’s a small trial, they limited it to 440 entries.

One of my friends dogs took a Group 3 with her Siberian. I’m really thrilled for her.

I’ve got everything set up so it shouldn’t be too bad. Cages are at ringside and I’ve got a set of cages in the hotel room.

I’m going to give the pool a try. They supposedly finished remodeling this week.

My doctor does not like subscribing COX anti-inflammatories to diabetics and was very unhappy that I was using up my Bextra.

He gave me quite a bit of samples of Mobic, and I’ve taken a 7.5 mg dose. I’ve got a few 15 mg doses which I’m going to save for this weekend.

He really wants me to stop using them each day, but I really have knee pain. I tried to go shopping this weekend and this evening, and the knees were really bothering me.

So it’s a problem right now.

Oh, and the reason why? Kidney problems. Okay, he can worry about my kidneys, and the rest of us can worry about the cardio vascular system, since that’s what did in the last two generations.

I’m on my way to solving my problems. Called my DME supplier for my CPAP masks and asked if possibily it was time to get a new mask as it was getting uncomfortable after a few hours. They said, yep, it was last September and I should have it in the mail tomorrow!

Coolness!

Especially since I woke up at 5:30 this morning and it was extremely uncomfortable.

I also ordered new filters and new humidifer chamber from CPAP.com this weekend. I ought to see about getting the machine itself transferred to the new company, since the old one is out of network, though I would think that by now I’d own the thing.

This is how CPAP machines work since so many people are unsuccessful with them (at least I’m guessing this is the reason). The insurance company pays to rent the machine from the DME, and they are responsible for maintenance. At some point, after several years, it becomes “yours”. I suppose when it is out of warranty.

I’m going to a dog show and agility trial in Shawnee Oklahoma, which is just outside of OKC. The hotel sounds pretty nice, there is a refrigator and microwave in the room, so I am going to take my food. I may still eat out a meal or two, it’s nice to have a choice.

I think I might start packing today. I need at least double of everything.

It actually all started about 4 years ago, shortly before I was diagnosed. We got a new principal whose mission was to get rid of any dead weight. Unfortunately I knew her by reputation, she was the principal that ran out an education classmate of mine her first year of teaching. I also knew she had been somewhat unreasonable to a friend of mine at her prior school. There is an article that describes her tactics on the internet but I’m not going to link to it. Even though the principal has retired, I don’t want to say too much.

I was diagnosed with diabetes that September. I had a lot of problems as a result — I think my blood sugar was okay until the glucose tolerance test, but after it my blood sugar was extremely elevated and stayed that way for several months.

I do believe that the problems I have had with diabetes has much affected how well I teach and also how well I get along with other people. It even affects adversely the way I deal with stressful situations. I still don’t have the energy level I had before my diagnosis.

Anyway, I think the above all contributed to my feeling like I was a target. I still do not feel comfortable in my world as a result and it will be a long time.

Right now, I’m very much aware of the fact that my students are not prepared for their exams, and not only is there nothing I can do about it now, I already did the best I could give the time and materials I had to work with. I can intellectually tell myself that, and I’m even sure that my building leadership would agree with me, but I still am not comfortable unless I feel like my students are completely prepared.

The good news, is that I will have this summer to try to make things better for next year’s students.

Spent the weekend thinking hard about my current issues. I’ve decided to have him write me a new prescription for Symlin for 25 units a day. I am also going to ask if adding “lizard spit” might be a good idea.

I’m also going to ask him for a prescription for an anti-inflammatory as I’m getting almost out of Bextra.

That’s addition to working with the basals, and I’ve already emailed him about them.

Beyond ‘I’m a Diabetic,’ Little Common Ground – New York Times

Since I choose to treat my diabetes with a insulin administrated with a pump, I’m in the middle of the two worlds.

I actually fit few of the Type 2 stereotypes, other than weight. However, it has been theorized by my medical team, that the weight is a result of my medical conditions, not the other way around.

I’ve been treated for sleep apnea for over 10 years now, but it was untreated for about twenty years. In the last 5 years before treatment, I was sleeping two to three hours a day. I still have trouble sleeping.

Right now, I’m going through a period of stress — ending up the school year, and have had some problems with sleeping for months, and binge eating the last week. I keep hoping it is over but not yet. The good news is that we only have 3 days with students and one more day after that.

But on to the sterotypes.

I often feel ostracised by the online diabetes committee because it is primarily made up of Type 1 diabetics, even though I was here first. I do have to clarify that there are really two online communities of Type 1 diabetes that I know of. The first is the insulin pumpers and the second is the bloggers.

The insulin pumpers have been the least easy to deal with, and in fact, I recently reduced stress by unsubscribing from the insulin pumpers list.

I understand the frustration the Type 1 group has with Type 2 diabetes. They don’t understand it any better than the non-diabetic community and maybe even less. Many Type 1 were diagnosed as children and don’t remember living any other way.

It is extremely difficult for someone in their 40’s and even later to change their life style. Since Type 2 has such a strong genetic component many of us grew up with grandparents and even parents who have had to deal with diabetic complications.

For example, there was absolutely no understanding of Type 2 diabetes when my grandparents were diagnosed. They were told not to eat sugar and had no tools in which to manage their diabetes. Both of my grandparents died of cardio vascular compliments — in the form of strokes.

My father was diagnosed with diabetes when I was about 20. I know a bit more about how they dealt with him. He chose to try the Pritiken diet, tried to lose weight through exercise, told not to eat sugar and even test strips to test his urine. There were no pills and no meters at that point. He contracted congestive heart failure two years later, and was confined to the house and on oxygen for three years.

Changing my own life style even with all the knowledge we have now is difficult.

I started this post describing my sleep problems — They are the root of my weight problems and some of my stress problems. Right now, I am having difficulty even going to sleep. Once I get there, lately I’m falling asleep well, but I am waking up. Part of the problem is that my CPAP mask get uncomfortable, and part of the problem is GERD sympthoms. I know if I can get a good handle on my GERD sympthoms sleep will be better. I also know that getting a handle on stress will help me actually get to bed.

Because I am tired all the time, I tend to eat more. I know mentally that eating does help me be less sleepy, but I can’t tell my body that. I also tend to make poorer choices when I’m tired. It’s easier to eat food that is preprocessed. I help that by using a good food service, but I still have to deal with “extra” food.

I’ve always been very active, competing in dog sports, I have been competing in dog agility for the last 5 years. I’ve had a regular exercise program for even longer, but I still dread working out. Lately it is even harder since I’ve been experiencing knee pain.

The point of all this? Remember, changing decades of life style habits is difficult, and many of those life style habits contribute to making diabetes worse.

I haven’t even mentioned that the worst sympthom of uncontrolled diabetes is sugar craving, have I?

Don’t worry, I think I’ll spend more time whining these week about being an ostrasized diabetic.

Decided I should go in to see my endo — I would see his CDE but she is only seeing Cosmo patients (she works for Smith’s Medical now).

My schedule is drastically changing. First we go on exam schedule starting on Friday — I figure for now, I will just go on my weekend basal.

Then I am on break for about two weeks, but have three workshops during that 2 weeks.

Then I am on summer school schedule for 6 weeks.

Then go to Pittsburg for a 3-day workshop on Computer Science and visit my aunt.

Two weeks break with one day of workshop.

And then back to school.

I think that will freak out my pump.

As I write this, I think it would be wise to send him my current basals and my current schedule and give him a way to look at my logs for the past few weeks.

This make take some research.